R2D2-level holograms are still a long way off from infiltrating our homes, but the new Holus holographic display will bring us one step closer.

The tabletop platform consists of a glass pyramid in which a holographic projection can be viewed from four different perspectives, with a 360 degree viewing angle.

Users can connect their smartphones or tablets to Holus, transforming it into a 3D board game, learning tool, realistic fireplace and, well, much more.

Star Wars-style video chats are another possibility, assuming you can get over the fact that the person you’re talking to looks like they’re half a foot tall and trapped in a glass prison.

There’s also a Holus Pro edition which comes with a built-in HDMI port and SDK tool letting developers tinker away on new creations.

It can also double up as a 3D scanner, letting you scan objects before sending them off to a 3D printer to be forged into plastic models. The Unity and Unreal engines will also be included in the SDK, letting developers create 3D characters for games.

The Holus is also compatible with accessories like the Leap Motion and Emotiv Brain sensor, letting you interact with the holograms using nothing but a wave of your hands, or concentrating with your brain.

It all sounds incredibly promising and almost too good to be true, but with the CAD$50,000 goal being reached in just 19 minutes, there’s clearly plenty of hopeful gadgeteers out there who want to take family Monopoly night to a whole new level.

If you’re one of them, then head on over to Kickstarter where you can back one now for CAD$550.